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rowe · 04-08-2022, 03:11 PM

My hands on review...

The Y-Ben is extremely basic, it’s like a very early e-reader but miniaturised and with a modern screen.

I’m comparing against the Xiaomi InkPalm here as I think the InkPalm has been the best pocket reader since it was released in early 2021…

Y-Ben advantages:
- Lighter (100g vs 115g) so more comfortable to hold during long reading sessions
- Smaller
- Doesn’t really need a case to protect the screen as it’s recessed (so practically it’s significantly lighter and smaller)
- Matte screen finish (the InkPalm screen is gloss - it comes with a matte protector but it makes the screen less sharp)
- I think the battery life will be much better (much more lightweight OS and feature set)
- Can be switched to English in the user settings (the InkPalm needs a little hacking)

InkPalm advantages:
- Modern industrial design (the Yi-ben feels very 90s)
- Better software (you can install any Android reading app)
- Front-light
- Wi-Fi
- Bluetooth
- Larger screen (5.2 vs 4.7)
- Higher resolution screen (284 vs 235ppi)
- Modern USB-C connector (Y-Ben is micro USB)

The reader software on the Y-Ben is so basic that to change the font, text alignment, or line-height to your preferences you have to make the amends off device. I’m using Calibre to do that - a bit of a pig to setup but fairly easy to apply to other books once you’re happy with the settings.

I’d prefer to not have the top info bar present on the Y-Ben when reading (it shows the book title, time, battery level, page number, and page count). This isn’t changeable in the user settings. I might try to hack this

Direct from the factory in China the unit cost is $68. Postage to the UK was $80 by Fedex. I was quoted 3-5 days - it actually took nearly a month but the delay was mainly due to Covid lockdowns in China. They don’t have e-commerce, you email johnsontj@5v-china.com and can pay via paypal with buyer protection selected (he seems a nice guy - helpful and responsive).

I’ve already read a few chapters on the Y-Ben and quite like it. It might wear off, but there’s actually something charming about it being so basic. I’m planning on using it as my main pocket reader ongoing, and just using the InkPalm as a bedside reader.

Comparison image on a cross-post to reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ereader/com...nds_on_review/

04-08-2022, 03:11 PM	#10
rowe Zealot Posts: 140 Karma: 4719872 Join Date: Jul 2019 Device: A9, Mira, Paperlike Colour	My hands on review... The Y-Ben is extremely basic, it’s like a very early e-reader but miniaturised and with a modern screen. I’m comparing against the Xiaomi InkPalm here as I think the InkPalm has been the best pocket reader since it was released in early 2021… Y-Ben advantages: - Lighter (100g vs 115g) so more comfortable to hold during long reading sessions - Smaller - Doesn’t really need a case to protect the screen as it’s recessed (so practically it’s significantly lighter and smaller) - Matte screen finish (the InkPalm screen is gloss - it comes with a matte protector but it makes the screen less sharp) - I think the battery life will be much better (much more lightweight OS and feature set) - Can be switched to English in the user settings (the InkPalm needs a little hacking) InkPalm advantages: - Modern industrial design (the Yi-ben feels very 90s) - Better software (you can install any Android reading app) - Front-light - Wi-Fi - Bluetooth - Larger screen (5.2 vs 4.7) - Higher resolution screen (284 vs 235ppi) - Modern USB-C connector (Y-Ben is micro USB) The reader software on the Y-Ben is so basic that to change the font, text alignment, or line-height to your preferences you have to make the amends off device. I’m using Calibre to do that - a bit of a pig to setup but fairly easy to apply to other books once you’re happy with the settings. I’d prefer to not have the top info bar present on the Y-Ben when reading (it shows the book title, time, battery level, page number, and page count). This isn’t changeable in the user settings. I might try to hack this Direct from the factory in China the unit cost is $68. Postage to the UK was $80 by Fedex. I was quoted 3-5 days - it actually took nearly a month but the delay was mainly due to Covid lockdowns in China. They don’t have e-commerce, you email johnsontj@5v-china.com and can pay via paypal with buyer protection selected (he seems a nice guy - helpful and responsive). I’ve already read a few chapters on the Y-Ben and quite like it. It might wear off, but there’s actually something charming about it being so basic. I’m planning on using it as my main pocket reader ongoing, and just using the InkPalm as a bedside reader. Comparison image on a cross-post to reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/ereader/com...nds_on_review/ Last edited by rowe; 04-08-2022 at 03:14 PM.